With 4K HDR, Olympics Might Be Extra Colourful Than Ever

The parade of Olympic athletes coming into Pyeongchang, South Korea, may very well be fairly colourful for a couple of causes. Athletes from North and South Korea will enter collectively for the primary time in additional than a decade, and viewers at house will be capable of see the ceremony — and even some occasions — like by no means earlier than.

NBCUniversal has determined to make the XXIII Olympic Winter video games obtainable to cable and satellite tv for pc companions in 4K Excessive Dynamic Vary, or HDR.

Dish, DirecTV and Comcast prospects who’ve appropriate TV units and subscriptions to the suitable service, will be capable of take within the 4K HDR protection.

This yr’s video games will not be the primary Olympics to be delivered in 4K — NBC distributed the Rio Olympics in 2016 in 4K Extremely Excessive Definition. Nonetheless, this yr’s winter video games can boast the addition of the Excessive Dynamic Vary aspect, which guarantees much more gorgeous colours along with increased decision.

“For the primary time, the Winter Olympics will likely be obtainable in 4K HDR, marking an thrilling milestone for each the TV trade and Olympic viewers,” stated Dish Chief Know-how Officer Vivek Khemka. “We’re happy to work with NBCUniversal to present prospects entry to this yr’s inspiring Olympic performances within the clearest decision and richest shade palette obtainable, maximizing the potential of their 4K HDR TVs.”

Time Delay

There’s a catch, nonetheless. The opening ceremonies will happen on Friday and will likely be carried within the regular excessive definition (HD) format on NBC, thus obtainable on all suppliers that carry the published community. Viewers who need the upper decision 4K HDR should wait till Saturday to see the ceremonies in all their glory.

Given the time distinction between the US and South Korea — 14 hours to the East Coast — viewing of the video games will likely be time-delayed anyway, to an extent. That stated, most — if not all — of the 4K HDR content material will likely be delayed till 24 hours after the “dwell” broadcast.

As well as, as a result of the published manufacturing world hasn’t moved absolutely to 4K HDR, not all this yr’s Olympic occasions will likely be supplied within the format. The content material will likely be restricted to the opening ceremonies, determine skating, brief monitor (racing), ski leaping and ice hockey, in line with NBC. The closing ceremonies aren’t listed at the moment, however it’s probably they are going to be in 4K HDR as nicely.

Gold for TV Makers

The athletes will not be the one ones aiming for gold at these Olympic Video games. TV makers might hope to attain as nicely by providing reductions on 4K HDR units.

“It is very tough to purchase a brand new TV set that is not 4K/UHD as of late,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

Gross sales of those units have already got been robust, with a lift from the latest Tremendous Bowl.

“4K UHD TVs have skilled important progress in recent times, with greater than 80 million thought to have shipped throughout 2017,” stated David Tett, market analyst for client electronics at Futuresource Consulting.

“The expansion has been centered in North America, Western Europe and China, however has been seen throughout all areas of the globe,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

“As value falls additional and demand for bigger screens continues to extend the world over, shipments will proceed to develop strongly, with double digit progress anticipated for a few years to return and over 25 p.c of worldwide houses anticipated to personal a 4K UHD set by the tip of 2021,” Tett added.

Not Precisely Plug and Play

NBC could also be offering 4K UHD content material, but it surely will not truly be obtainable to broadcast viewers who obtain the community programming over the air. Even present subscribers to Comcast, Dish and DirecTV could have to do greater than merely plug in and hook up a brand new set.

Dish prospects might want to have a Hopper three set-top field, whereas DirecTV subscribers might want to have a Genie HD DVR (mannequin HR54 or above) or 4K Genie Mini set-top field. Sure subscription plans could also be required as nicely.

“The sensible query is whether or not [the Olympics opportunity] causes individuals with 4K TVs to configure their pay-TV gadgets to really watch some 4K content material for as soon as,” famous Joel Espelien, senior analyst at The Diffusion Group.

“DirecTV prospects must hook up a second set-top field companion system that sits between the primary satellite tv for pc receiver and the 4K TV,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

“It isn’t clear how many individuals have truly bothered to do that, given the relative shortage of 4K content material,” Espelien added.

Olympic Glory

That is the primary true “prepared for prime time” occasion to be delivered in 4K HDR, so it is unsure whether or not it may ship the viewing expertise that broadcasters and TV makers have been promising.

I “All of this appears to be like significantly better because the TV and the transmission element will increase, and the Winter Olympics are the perfect worldwide occasion to indicate that, most likely even higher than the World Cup this summer season,” he added.

In fact, the climate would want to agree for sure occasions that happen exterior, equivalent to ski leaping. That would have been an element within the choice to not embrace different out of doors occasions within the 4K HDR lineup, equivalent to downhill snowboarding and snowboarding. Even in ultimate climate these occasions could not showcase the total potential of the brand new TV units.

“The Winter Olympics are notoriously onerous to shoot, as a major proportion of the display screen is crammed with a ‘white” picture with restricted distinction,” famous Tristan Veale, market analyst at Futuresource Consulting.

“The additional dynamic vary ought to present a considerably improved viewing expertise for these with a appropriate HDR TV, with far higher definition between completely different shades of whites and grays displayed with out impacting the picture high quality of the, typically, brightly coloured opponents,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

The place the standard of the image may actually be seen is contained in the arenas!

“My guess is that it is all in regards to the determine skating, which ought to look superb in 4K,” stated Espelien. “That is what the viewers primarily cares about. It’s such as you’re proper there within the enviornment.”

Way forward for Sports activities

At current, some TV productions already are being produced in 4K as a technique to future-proof content material, however within the brief time period sports activities may very well be the sport changer that causes audiences to undertake the brand new TV know-how and even pay for the content material.

“Sporting content material is amongst a very powerful broadcasters have to supply, and shoppers with new 4K UHD units will typically be on the lookout for content material like this to trial their new units and gauge the standard of their buy,” stated Futuresource’s Tett.

“Those that haven’t made the improve but can attempt to be persuaded by means of retailer and vendor promotions, with the promise of a heightened viewing expertise on a brand new TV,” he added.

“Historically, main sporting occasions are likely to deliver ahead gross sales inside a yr relatively than trigger the market to develop, that means shoppers will select to buy a set earlier within the yr to observe the occasion relatively than delaying their buy to later months, as they might have in any other case accomplished,” Tett famous.

The subsequent large take a look at may very well be for sports activities, and 4K HDR might advance this summer season when the world’s hottest sporting occasion takes place in Russia.

“With the FIFA World Cup approaching, that is one more reason for ramping up dwell seize of main sporting occasions in 4K, as it’s going to give your complete broadcast chain extra expertise with this,” stated Futuresource’s Veale.

The visuals could even get higher.

“We’ll see increased body charges, which can profit any sporting occasion with a component of velocity, equivalent to the important thing occasions of the Winter Olympics,” stated Veale. “Whereas some sporting occasions are already being broadcast at 50 to 60 frames per second, once we transfer in direction of 120fps this may present a a lot smoother and clearer image of fast-moving objects.”